Promises, Promises, Promises
by beaucoup riant
Summary: There were many promises and each one would be broken.They were both walking between two different worlds, like past and present and memories and reality. With sudden trouble, they struggle to cling onto reality...and each other.[Full summary inside]
1. This is Where It Starts

**Promises, Promises, Promises**

**Author's notes**: Please read the footnotes at the end of the chapter. I tried to use as many facts as I could find and fit into my storyline. So if I'm inaccurate please understand that I never played the game before and I altered some facts to fit my storyline. Also I'm not an Areis basher but I SERIOUSLY believe that Cloud and Tifa are better together. I'm trying to work on the summary so it might change later on. When it does, the chapter that will be posted will include a section for the new summary. I won't be changing the storyline but I can't find a summary to summarize it very well. I'll work on it later. PLEASE REVIEW!

**Disclaimer**: The characters do not belong to me. Some of the storyline is mines and some belongs to the maker of Final Fantasy VII.

**Summary**: There were many promises he had made to her. However each one became broken. With each broken promise, another came, and another broke. It was a never ending cycle. As Cloud walks among the world, his mind between the living and the dead, the present and the past, he stumbles back to 7th Haven. As Tifa struggles with memories and reality, emotions and tears, she stumbles into deep trouble. This is a story about how Fate pushes two people to the sky. And they both struggle to cling to the clouds.

Note: (means read foot notes to understand)

She stared at the ring on her finger (footnote #1) It was bathed in moonlight as she sat against the window sill, knees drawn to her chest, and her chin resting at her kneecaps. A delicate finger traced over the engraved mouth and than traveled to the nose. It had been on her finger for a very long time, and she had taken very good care of it since the day she received it.

The wolf's empty eyes engraved deeply into the silver stared at her. Its mouth wide open and growling. Through the years, the features softened that it no longer cut her as it had years ago. Though the metal has softened, the features that shaped the mouth's face remained sharp.

The digital clock across from her read four o'clock, it had only been an hour since her bar had been officially closed and cleaned up. She had lain in bed for what seemed like a long moment before she moved to the window. And as her eyes darted around the dark skies, her light brown eyes had drifted down to the silver ring on her finger.

She didn't think about anything, her fingers simply ran around the ring and her eyes watched silently. The memories the ring symbolized she knew by heart. Down to the scenery of when it happened to exactly how the clothing clung to both of them. Because she knew those memories so well like a story she has read too many times, they did not come back through her mind.

"Tifa?" The soft voice rung through the silent room, the door opened wider and the light from the hallway streaked through her dark room. Tifa looked up, her bangs blocking one eye, but with a small shake of her head to the side, the bangs were out of her right eye. She looked at the three-year old girl (footnote #2) with the little pink ribbon slipped into her hair that tied it into a ponytail. Her sleepy dark brown eyes looked at Tifa.

Tifa stepped slowly down from the window sill and knelt down just a little and held out her arms. Marlene ran into them immediately. Picking the rather light girl into her arms, Marlene's face dropped to the crook of her neck, falling asleep quickly. Lying Marlene next to her on her bed, Tifa slipped in and pulled the covers over them and slipped her arm around the little girl's waist. Within a few minutes, Tifa too fell asleep.

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When late morning streaked through the windows and woke Tifa up, she was ready to face a new day. Marlene was still asleep so carefully slipping away, Tifa got ready. Marlene did have a father and a mother, however her mother had died giving birth to her (footnote #3) and her father had passed away when Marlene was two (footnote #4). Vincent had found Marlene during his trip to Barret's home which had been scattered with bullets and blood. Not being able to take care of the young child, Vincent had given her to Tifa. Tifa had gladly taken her in and since than Marlene has believed that Tifa was her mother and that the bar and the apartment above it was her home.

Through the darkly tinted windows of the bar streamed a little light, enough for her to see. She had grown up being able to see very well in the dark and it came in handy during dangerous situations. Through the four large windows at the front, she saw thick layers of snow. Heavy cold white blankets imprinted with footprints and streaked with some dirt. It was almost Christmas and as she took a step back, she could see the tiny furry arm sticking out from a shelf hidden behind shot glasses. She was almost done with the stuffed animal she was making for Marlene. Tifa had remembered while shopping for necessities for the house and Marlene's growth that they had walked by a store holding dolls and stuffed animals. Marlene had remarked that she never had a stuffed animal before and as Christmas was only a month away, Tifa had started to make a stuffed animal.

It was going to be a little stuffed white cat with wings (footnote #5). All she had to do was stuff the wings and the cat and sew it up before she was ready to give it to Marlene. Taking it out softly from behind the shot glasses, careful not to break any of them, she pulled out a bag of stuffing from a cabinet and started to stuff it. She made it pretty soft, hugging it once in a while herself to make sure it was comfortable. It was a hard task to do because if she made it too soft with the stuffing, it would wear out too quickly. If it was too hard in the stuffing than it would become too uncomfortable to hold. After taking stuffing and re-stuffing she finally found the median.

Sewing the back and than throwing it into the washer, she went to start making breakfast for herself and Marlene. She only started making Marlene's favorite gingerbread waffles when the phone rang. As she neared the phone it stopped ringing. Furrowing her brow she shrugged and went back to making the waffles.

And suddenly the bar's door flung open and a thump was heard as something collided heavily with the floor. The cold winter air ate up all the heat and sent shivers up and down her arms and snow whirled into the bar.

Tifa turned around and saw a head of dirty blonde and a strong muscular body dressed in all black, and a long heavy sword behind his back lying on her floor. Her senses were whirling and she gasped.

In the distance, Marlene came down the stairs and ran to her, hugging her legs. "Tifa, who's that man sleeping on our ground?"

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End of Chapter 1

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Footnote #1: In the movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, there's a quick flash in a scene where Tifa slams her hand down on the pillow and it shows that there is a ring on her finger. At closer observation it's actually a ring with the engraving of that wolf that Cloud has on his earring and his shoulder. I turned it into somewhat of a symbol of many things. You'll see what eventually.

Footnote #2: I wanted Marlene to be young when she's staying with Tifa just because I liked it better that way. Just imagine Marlene shorter with the same eyes, and shorter hair.

Footnote #3: I don't know what happened to Marlene's mother so I imagined that she died giving birth to Marlene.

Footnote #4: I decided to have Barret die because I couldn't seem to find a reason for him to fit into the story and it wouldn't fit into my story if I made it so that someone else was Marlene's father. It also wouldn't give me any reason to have Marlene live with Tifa because I'm not even sure why Barret isn't taking care of her and Tifa is. So I thought the only reason was if both Marlene's parents died.

Footnote #5: I at first wanted to make the stuffed animal as one of the materia but I've only seen one and I don't think it would be a very good idea to give it to a little girl. I didn't want it to be a doll just because when I was a kid, I didn't like dolls even though I often received them. I didn't want it to be a black cat because I noticed in the movie there was a lot of black so I decided to alter it and make it a white cat. I decided to put wings in the back simply because it would be cuter.

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Author's Notes: I know that there's a lot of modifications but like I said, I never played the game and I've only seen the Advent Children movie. I hope you like it either way and I hope you review! I'm sorry for the short chapter but I'll try to make my next chapters longer. REVIEW PLEASE! And if you know any facts AT ALL, about anything about Final Fantasy VII, please send them to me in the reviews. Thank you!


	2. This Ring

**Promises, Promises, Promises**

**Author's Notes: **I just had to update because I didn't want the first chapter to be as short as it was so I thought that I should make it up to you guys by updating quickly with a rather long chapter. Now this has been the fastest update I've ever made between chapters so feel lucky! Anyways, REVIEW!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the characters, SOME of the storyline belongs to the makers of Final Fantasy VII and to myself.

**Summary: **Still hasn't changed yet guys.

**Notes**: _Italics _are thoughts.

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He woke up staring at a blank white ceiling. He blinked once, twice, and slowly sat up. He felt rather light and a hand reached to feel his back. His sword was gone and alarmed, he looked around. In the corner of a room where the walls were painted beige yellow, between the small arm chair and a desk, rested his sword.

"Cloud, you're awake!" A childish feminine voice suddenly sliced the silent air. Cloud turned his head and saw Marlene running towards him. She jumped into bed with him and hugged his neck with thin short arms. (footnotes #1) Cloud's fingers ran his fingers through his light blonde unruly spiky hair. He offered a tiny ghost smile towards the two-year old girl.

"Hey Marlene." He replied. (footnote #2) Pushing the thick blankets away from him, he sat on the side of the bed. The scent of lilacs mixed with alcohol, Tifa's unique and comforting smell filled the room. Marlene placed the tray down on the nightstand and Cloud glanced at it.

Soft footsteps followed up in a few minutes up the stairs. The new presence in the room alerted him of who it was but it did not disturb him. "Marlene, may you please go play with some of your toys in the other room?" She asked the child and after the child had left the room, the female closed the doors softly behind her.

Neither of them spoke for a long while, they simply remained where they were as if frozen in time. Something in his arm twitched and he groaned. "The only reason why you crashed down, half dead into the snow, is because of that." Tifa told him. He looked at his arm, it was marked with several black spots, as if his arm had been burnt. "It's some sort of sickness that has been affecting a lot of people, especially children. It's called Geostigma." (footnote #3)

When Cloud said nothing in response, Tifa continued. "There's no cure for it yet…that's been found. And the whole city has been snowed in…so you'll have to stay here for a while. The snow's too thick for you to ride out of here…so don't even try."

With that, they fell back into silence. After a few minutes, Tifa went and started to wrap Cloud's arm. As Tifa cleaned up, they were still quiet. Than she just simply left leaving him to himself in her room. He didn't know what to say to her.

_I guess she's use to me always walking in and out of her life. _He frowned at the thought. _I mean since we were little, I've always done that. I guess she just got use to the pain I caused her. I mean we…I made so many promises to her. And so far…I've never completed any of them. I've always broken my word. _

He sighed. He tried desperately to stop himself from thinking. _But with her…I always kept my word. I don't get why I can't keep my word to Tifa! Damn it!_

His hands clutched at the sheets of the bed tightly and he growled. He willed himself to stop thinking. When he managed to calm himself down a little, Cloud went to brush his teeth and change into some clothes. (footnote #4) Leaving his sword in Tifa's room, Cloud walked down the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Down at the bar, he heard water rushing and a clank of glasses. His hands found their way to his pockets and he watched as Tifa washed some glasses.

As Tifa was drying the last glass, something caught his eye. Something sparkly, shiny, something that was VERY familiar. "You're still wearing it…" He suddenly spoke out.

She couldn't make out the tone of his voice when he said that statement. Cloud couldn't either. He wanted to say it as a question but somewhere along the way, his voice just simply flat out stated it.

Tifa stared at her finger that was accessorized with the ring. Setting the glass she was drying, she placed her arms at her side. Adjusting her weight to her left foot, she bore down at the ring that winked at her.

It symbolized a lot of things. A lot of broken promises and the memories she didn't like to remember. Yet the ring comforted her in some ironic ways. Told her that a lot of the things that made her life horrible to live in were in the past. She had received it from Cloud on her nineteenth birthday. It became her favorite piece of jewelry, though she had very little.

Before that time, Cloud made many promises to her. Very small things, things that just weren't worth breaking. Promises like hanging out one day, or training in the morning with her, or stopping by for a while. After she received the ring, and the chaos that happened at her birthday, like fighting the meteor (footnote #5) their promises to each other became bigger. And each one became broken.

Promises like that Cloud would come and save her every time she was in danger (footnote #6) or promises that Cloud would take her away from their home and they would live together in an apartment far away from the horrible life they previously lived in.

Than when Cloud simply disappeared, the ring kept her tied to him. Reminding her of the bad and good times they shared. The broken promises, the emotions at bay, the tears, the wounds in her heart, and the salt that burnt them.

"It reminds me of a lot of things." Tifa told him.

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End of Chapter 2

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Footnote #1: Yes the three (Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene) do all know each other.

Footnote #2: It's just that when Cloud crashed into the door, Marlene might not recognize him being only 2.

Footnote #3: Geostigma comes from the Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children movie.

Footnote #4: Like in the Advent Children movie, Cloud did or does live with them.

Footnote #5: I've only heard of that fight in other stories but because I'm not sure when it was, I simply made it so it happened on the date of Tifa's birthday so it would fit MY storyline.

Footnote #6: That promise I've heard from pictures and I liked it that I placed it into my story.

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**Author's Notes:** If ANYONE knows how Cloud and Tifa gets into the AVALANCHE, please inform me because this information would come in handy for my next chapter. So REVIEW!


	3. The Last Time

**Promises, Promises, Promises**

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long delay for this chapter but I was struggling with how this story's plot.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything except the plot.

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His mako eyes stared at her after her statement. He opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. His mind raced with thoughts of what to say to her but still…nothing seemed to come out.

"It reminds me of all the promises you made me. It reminds me of how many times you've left without a word. It reminds me of how many times I called you but was never called back. It reminds me of all the promises you've broken." She said. Her back was turned to him and Cloud wondered if she was crying or if she was angry.

"You made me fifteen promises, you left thirty six times without a word, I called you two hundred times each time you left and never once had you called me back. And you've broken fifteen promises too. That means…you've never kept any of the promises you made to me." Tifa suddenly turned around, tears brimming at the corner of her eyes. She shook and her hands curled into fists. She took a step towards him and thick hot tears streamed down her cheeks. The storm of emotions in her eyes screamed at him, hurled harsh winds and rain at him.

Suddenly she was in front of him, her eyes staring up at him. Her hands pounding against his chest, crying, she screamed at him. "You didn't save me when I needed you! You're always thinking of the flower girl whose DEAD! You never took me out of the Slums, I took myself out of there! (footnote #1) When you leave, I'm worried for you but you don't even give a damn about me to even call me and at least tell me you're ALIVE!"

Cloud could feel her hit him, not that it hurt, her screams reached his ears and he could feel a lump in his throat. His arms came up to wrap them around her, a pitiful attempt to comfort her because he knew she wanted him to say something. Before his arms could wrap around them, she pushed away. It all happened so fast….

Because she took that ring off her finger and whipped it at him. It hit him at his heart and clattered down to the ground. Cloud stared at her than stared at the ground where the ring rested without an owner at his foot.

"I hate you!" The three words took him into a whirlwind of emotions, his emotions. And with the statement, Tifa turned on her heel and walked out of the room. He stared after her and he found that he could not move.

His heart ached with something painful, as if someone had stabbed him there. When he looked down, he saw no blood and knew that the pain came from within. He bent down slowly and retrieved the ring. The ring lost its shimmer and he stared at the wide window of the bar as light reflected off the snow and flowed into the dark bar.

He stood there thinking for a long time. Tifa never came down and his sharp ears could not even pick up any noises that might've came from Marlene. He wondered if anyone was in the house at all anymore. Cloud put the ring in his breast pocket and stared at the snow.

Thick white flakes were still falling from the sky and as Cloud's mind wandered back to Tifa's words, he took a step towards the door that led to the outside world.

This would be the last time he would walk out of her life, because after he walked out of that door, he would never come back. He would never talk to her or stumble back in her life. He would put himself as someone from her past.

Yet as he walked out into the snow, he felt as if he was dying on the inside.

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End chapter 3.

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Footnote 1: The promise I was thinking of than was a promise I read off other stories. From what I can imagine, Cloud didn't take her away at her because he was still in SOILDER. So it would be an educated guess that Tifa took herself out of the horrible place she grew up in.

Final Author's Notes: Remember guys, if you have any real information or even ideas, tell me in your reviews. But one way or the other, PLEASE REVIEW!


	4. This Breaking Heart

**Promises, Promises, Promises**

**Disclaimer:** Don't own it, just the story.

**Author's Notes:** Alright, I'm done with the footnotes. But I should warn you now that THIS STORY DOES NOT _**EXACTLY**_ FOLLOW THE EVENTS OF THE GAME. There are some differences but you'll have to find out later! So just enjoy and don't' forget to review!!!!!

**Summary:** There were many promises he had made to her. However each one became broken. With each broken promise, another came, and another broke. It was a never ending cycle. As Cloud walks among the world, his mind between the living and the dead, the present and the past, he stumbles back to 7th Haven. As Tifa struggles with memories and reality, emotions and tears, she stumbles into deep trouble. This is a story about how Fate pushes two people to the sky. And they both struggle to cling to the clouds.

**.:Beginning:.**

Tifa flung herself onto her bed, her tears like rivers against her porcelain face. She choked on a sob and her mind traveled back to memories.

_Promise me that when I'm in trouble you'll come and save me, Cloud!_

But no, instead of saving her, Cloud went off to save Aeris time and time again. Tifa rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling, her tears subsiding. She had never been able to understand why it seemed that everyone loved Aeris more than they loved her. Wasn't she worthy of being loved?

Probably not, Tifa thought bitterly. She wiped the tears away in an angry manner and huffed. She sat up and glared at the door. Cloud hadn't came upstairs to say anything to her.

'Of course not, you dumbass. Cloud's a coward, he runs off when dealt with emotional things.' Tifa thought angrily. 'All he wants is to find a way to save Aeris. He doesn't give a damn about the people who are still alive.'

Tifa stood up and walked to her bathroom. She avoided looking into the mirror and washed her face. Her mind traveled back to her friend. Aeris was pretty and nice, Tifa wasn't. Aeris had powers and all Tifa had was martial arts. Aeris had captured the heart of someone she's loved since childhood.

Those were her insecurities speaking.

She has always been alone until she met Cloud. Her parents had died when she was at a young age and she became an orphan. When Cloud left with SOLIDER, she had been left alone again. When she joined Avalanche, she rejoiced in being able to be close to Cloud. However her happiness soon melted into sadness.

Aeris was in love with Cloud, everyone knew that. However it always seemed that Cloud was split between loving her and Aeris. When Aeris died, it seemed that he finally made his choice, Aeris.

Tifa stared at her reflection finally. She resented the way she looked because in her opinion, she was too ugly for Cloud to love. Since Aeris' death, he had become obsessed with her. Tifa loved him so much that she allowed him to hurt her. She let him in and let him leave her just as quickly. All she hoped for was that one day, he'd be able to return her feelings.

But now…she gave up. She couldn't handle the pain and overwhelming sadness anymore. And although Tifa would never ever tell it to anyone else but herself, Tifa was _completely heartbroken_.

**.:Cloud:.**

The snow crushed beneath his boot as he made his way to his motorcycle. As Cloud mounted onto it, he took a longing stare back into 7th Heaven. His Mako eyes memorized the bar as it stood out in the gray day.

His mind wandered back to the beautiful woman who had always waited for him. Cloud reached in to finger the ring. He could picture the woman who had worn it. Her long hair that was a beautiful silk curtain against her and her large ruby eyes that seemed like jewels themselves.

After Aeris had died, he had searched for a way to bring her back. He traveled misleads and leads that seemed to go back into a dead end. He wanted the guilt to go away.

Everyone except Tifa knew that, but Cloud has loved Tifa since the day he met her. Her warm smile and the way she so fiercely defended everything and everyone she loved. She fought for everything she believed in and would do anything to ensure the happiness of her friends.

But he couldn't have her.

Why, you ask? Because Cloud, consumed by guilt, believed that he would never deserve her. She was a doll placed highly above him and no matter how high he reached, he could never touch her. He had blood on his hands that would dirty her beauty. He was so afraid of hurting her. Cloud was also very afraid of failing her. What if her fate was like Aeris? He couldn't handle it, he would kill himself if anything like that happened to her.

He drove off at that moment. Cloud didn't want to think about her anymore. He wanted to run away, cowardly, from the memories that haunted him. He deserved to be alone.

And she deserved someone much better.

Cloud drove off and soon the snow scene melted into a desert. He would stay somewhere, he would find another home and continue to work in his lonely existence to find a way to revive Aeris.

And the entire time in the back of his mind, Cloud knew that home was where Tifa was.

**.:Somewhere Dark:.**

"In ten days, we'll be able to start to put our plan in action, sir." The voice was deep and loud.

"Good, until then make the proper arrangements. I want this entire thing to go smoothly." The voice was demanding and the voice belonged to a man sitting in a chair high above three men. He had long silver hair, almost white. His eyes were bitter cold and always set into a glare.

He dismissed the men and sat in the dark alone. He had been waiting for this day to come.

"Cloud, you have no idea how much I'm going to enjoy this."

**.:End Chapter:.**

Author's Notes: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!


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